It has been a walk through memory lane reading the discussions between Amnesian and Amazing on the different threads.
Culpability for elders? Arrogance in elders? Pursuing paths contrary to conscience? Dealing death blows to individuals with Gods approval? Having a position of authority and abusing it?
Oh dear. I dont really have a defence strategy worked out, for there is no defence, there is no excuse for what was done in the name of God for everyones benefit, there is no excuse for giving my will over to the men from Brooklyn, there is no defence for believing in something with my whole heart mind and body, and trying to please my creator by dotting the i's and crossing the t's in every advisory letter that was received and fulfilling the contained requests therin.
I will say this.
I did what I thought was the will of God. I acted in a manner consistent with my understanding of scripture, albeit influenced by the teachings of the governing body, and I did it in good conscience.
If an elder continues with a a good conscience, with no worries about his faith or his position or his standing...then he will continue.
No one who changes his or her opinion, belief and whole outlook will remain undetected very long in the congregations of Jehovahs Witnesses, not if they have a conscience....and this applies more so to elders, it happened to frenchy and to others on this board.
Just a brief look at the check lists that elders have to fill in for every task, will make the thinking person realise that the decisions are a corporate decision based on the same rationale, and if one individual elder decides to show show mercy, (the very thing we are encouraged to do), it actually demonstrates independent thinking, heaven forbid, and for those elders that want to rid them selves of troublemakers both in the congregation and in the elder body..its a blessing to be on a committee, and they use their power mightily with a shrug of the shoulders and comments of deep regret..
The system has failed Jehovahs Witnesses. aged men with christian beliefs, rushing ahead of prophesy, making a legal and ethical framework to which every member of Jehovahs Witnesses must adhere to without criticism or comment for fear of removal from Gods blessing.
Im done with it, but the effects linger. They linger for amazing too. Whether his style of writing is an effect of being a witness or his ego, or a combination of the two, I dont know....but I do know he will be forever scarred, what he chooses to do with his life and his outlook, I cant comment on.
Im sorry for giving part of my life to something I came to be dissapointed in. BUt there is nothing I can do about it. I can only go on and face life with absolute reality.
There are no excuses. We were all fooled.